Railway-switch-throwing mechanism.



H. G. KINSEL. RAILWAY SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM.

A PLI ATION FILED JUNE 24 1913 June 2,

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H. G. KINSEL. RAILWAY SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914.

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Patented June 2, 1914.

H. C. KINSEL. RAILWAY SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1913.

11,098,809 Patented June 2, 1914,

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HARRY C. KINSEL, O]? ALIUONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SVTITGH-THRUW'ING MECHANISM.

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larly to the means for locking the switch point after the same has been set, by the magnet which controls 1ts movement.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 5 mole means whereby the electrical devices are placed above the ground, thus el1m1nat-- ing, to a marked degree, the dangers arising from short circuits and burned magnet coils.

lVith these and many other objects in view which will be more readily apparent, as the nature of the invent-ion is better understood, the same consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

It will be readily understood that this in vention is quite susceptible to a wide range of structural modification without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, but a preferred and thoroughly practical embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of the improved switch throwing device with the electrical connections and magnet housing. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the magnet, and particularly illustrates the switch point locking feature. Fig. 3, shows a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. l shows a plan. view of a track and switch point system, together with my improved switch throwing device applied thereto. Fig. 5 shows an end elevation of an electrical street railway car, together with the signal system and the manner of transmitting the electric current from the trolley wire to the switch throwing device. Fig. 6 shows the side elevation of the car shown in Fig. 5, and more particularly illustrates my method of taking the current Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Application filed June 24. 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914.

Serial 1%. Waste.

from the trolley wire through the trolley pole to the car. Fig. 7 illustrates the manner in which the trolley pole harp makes the electrical connection necessary to throw the switch point, shown. in Fig. l of the drawings. Fl 8 is a detail sectional view on the line iii-l3 of Fig. 1.

Like reference munerals indicate similar parts throughmit the several figures of the drawings.

Tilt, improved. switch throwing mechalllSIl'l may readily be used in connection with any type of railroad, whether steam or electric, but has preferably been-shown in connection with a trolley road including the main track, designated by the numeral 10, the siding or branch line 11, and the switch point 12 at the junction 13 of the main and branch. lines.

The switch throwing mechanism, designated in its entirety by the numeral 1 1, is preferably positioned in a casing 15, having a lid 16, together with means 17 for securing the lid to the casing, for the purpose of excluding moisture, etc. This improved switch. point throwing mechanism consists priniai. ly of a magnet 1.8, a stem 19, a switch point bar 20, and means for actuating the bar. The stem 19 is preferably constructed with a rectangular portion 23, held in alinement with the central portion of the magnet 12: by a 'ilurality of supporting columns 24; and .lhe rectangular portion 2?; of the stem 19 is provided with a T head 26, which is firmly secured to the stem 19 by a 3lurality of machine screws 27. The arms of the l head 26 are each provided with a substantial. dowel or locking pin 29, which is designed to enter a corresponding keeper opening 80 in. the upstanding arm 31, attached to the switch point rod 32. The function of this device is to insure that the switch is either locked in its open, or in its closed position.

The 0pc 'ation of the switch, by the mag net, is the same for this device as that which is described in the specification of my former Patent No. 1,071,641, dated li'i'lgust 26, 1913, but in order to make the new switch point locking feature clear, the operation, in brief, may be described. as follows: Electric current enters the magnet coil through the wire 33, energizes the magnet and returns on the wire 34 to the ground. WVhen the magnet is energized, the stem 19 is pulled into the magnet bore 35, with a very rapid movement. The rectangular portion 23 of the said stem is provided with a pendent swinging arm 36, which is fulcrumed at the point 37, said arm being further provided with a friction roller 38, designed to operate on a cam 39 of the disk 40. The said disk 40 is provided with peripheral teeth 41, which engage the rack 42 on the switch point throwing rod 32. In connection with this rod 32 it will be observed that the same is provided with an angularly disposed arm 132 carrying an offset conductor finger 133 which is connected in the conventional manner to the main current line M, and suitably insulated from the arm 132 as indicated at 134. The said conductor finger 133 being carried by the arm 132 which is secured to the rod 32, is adapted to move in the recessed portion of an insulated bracket 135, when the said rod 32 is actuated as previously described. In the bottom of the recess in the insulated bracket 135 is a contact plate 136 which is suitably connected to the wire 51 which leads to the red light R upon the signal pole 47. Thus, it will be apparent that when the rod 32 has been properly pulled over so that the current is established between the main current line M and either the wire 49 leading to the white light, or the wire leading to the green light, that the conductor finger 133 will be resting 011 an insulated portion of the insulated bracket 135 so that no current can get to the contact plate 136 and thereby light the red light. However, should the magnet 18 fail to pull the rod 32 so that current is sent through the proper means to the white W or green light G, the contact finger 133 will be left in the middle of the recess of the bracket 135 and resting on the contact plate 136 thereby sending the current from the main line M through the wire 51 to the red light R, indicating that the switch is in a dangerous position. The coiled spring 43, which abuts against the upstanding magnet stem support and continually exerts a force against the top of the T head, in conjunction with the inclined face 44 of the cam, insures that the magnet by exerting a pulling effort in the stem will either lock or unlock the switch. The arm 36 is provided with a tail piece 45, which carries a carbon 46, and when thrownas shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings-shows the motorman that the track is not clear and the movement is to be made with caution, and if thrown in the opposite direction would indicate that the track was clear and to proceed with the authorized speed; but, if, for instance, the switch point was locked in its mid-position and neither the white or green lamp, showing on the signal pole 47, the red lamp would appear lighted since the lamp current would come in on the same wire, but instead of going out on wires 49 or 50 to the white or green lamp, it would be transmitted through the wire 51 and thence to the red lamp, thus indicating that there was something wrong with the switch point, as previously described.

The current for operating the magnet 18 is preferably taken from the trolley wire, a diagrammatic outline of the circuits being shown in Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings.

The trolley harp 52 is preferably provided with means for transmitting the electric current from the trolley wire through wire 53, to a snap switch S, shown diagrammatically in Figs. 5 and 6, located inside the car for controlling the magnet which operates the switch points 12 and 13] This can readily be accomplished since the circuit through the magnet can be completed by turning the snap switch, thus allowing the current from the trolley wire to pass down wire 53, thence through the snap switch and through wires 54 to the magnet, and then grounding through wire 55, which is attached to one of the main rails 56. It will be further noted that the inclined faces 44 of the cam converge at the point 44 this construction making a self-adjusting means for the friction roller 38, making it impossible for the roller to stop in such a position as to be unable to move the switch when the magnet is energized.

From the foregoing it is thought that the many advantages of the herein described switch point throwing device will be readily apparent without further elaboration, and

lVhat- I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An electric switch throwing device including, in combination with the switch point, a rack operatively connected with the switch point, a toothed member engaging the rack, and a magnet controlled stem operatively engaged with said toothed member for oscillating the same and also carrying locking means cooperating with the rack.

2. An electric switch throwing device including, in combination with the switch point, a rack operatively connected with the switch point and provided with keepers, a toothed disk engaging said rack, and a magnet co-ntrolled reciprocating stem having an operative engagement with the disk for oscillating the same and also provided with looking dowels adapted to engage said keepers.

3. A switch operating device including a base, a solenoid magnet having a reciprocating stem, a toothed disk rotatable on the base, a link connection between the stem of the magnet and the disk, a rack slidable over In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my the base and in mesh With the disk, a locking signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

device com risin keepers on the rack and Y dowels on idle st m, switch point engaging HARRY IXINSEL' means carried by the rack and a circuit in- Witnesses:

eluding a manually operated switch on the ALEX WEIR,

car for energizing the magnet. L. G. HOOVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

